+II. The Personal Wisdom of God the delight of the Eternal Father.+ "I was daily His delight" (verse 30). (1) Likeness in character is a foundation of delight. A man who is godly delights to see his own godly character reflected in his son. The recognition of moral likeness in the uncreated Son gave delight to the Eternal Father. Nothing gives God so much joy as _goodness_. Hence His joy in His only-begotten Son. (2) Equality of nature is a source of delight to the good and true. Fellowship with an equal gives joy. Christ, when on earth, ever claimed this equality with the Father. He claimed an _eternity of being._ "Before Abraham was, I am" (Exod. iii. 14; John viii. 58). _Omniscience_ is claimed for Him, and He gave evidence that He possessed it. "He knew what was in man" (John ii. 25). "And Jesus knowing their thoughts," etc. (Matt. ix. 4). _Divine energy._ "My Father worketh hitherto and I work" (John v. 17). _Independent existence._ "As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself" (John v. 26). _Holiness._ "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" (John viii. 46). _Almighty power._ "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. xxviii. 18). In the eternal ages, before the creation of the world, the Father looked upon this "brightness of His glory and express image of His person" (Heb. i. 3), and this Divine Equal gave joy to the uncreated God (Isa. xlii. 1). +III. The delight of the Personal Wisdom of God in the creation of the home of man.+ "Rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth" (verse 31). The artist has joy in the thought of his completed work while it is in progress. He joys in that which _is not_ as yet in outward form, but which _is,_ in the completeness within his mind. The architect, who sees day by day the building being reared which he knows will be the wonder of coming ages and the means of yielding comfort to thousands, rejoices in the thought of the blessing that is to come out of his work. He experiences an emotion, with which a stranger cannot intermeddle (Prov. xiv. 10). And so Eternal Wisdom is here represented as regarding the future home of man. He saw its adaptability to the wants of the creatures who were to inhabit it--its inexhaustible resources for the supply of all man's physical and many of his intellectual wants, and the thought of the missions to whose happiness the earth's riches and beauties would minister throughout the ages gave Him joy. The best natures among human-kind delight when they are able to produce what will increase the happiness of their fellow-creatures. The poet rejoices when he feels that his thought will cheer the hearts of other men. The inventor is glad when he has made a discovery which he knows will be a boon to his race. And so the Eternal Wisdom of God looked with joy upon the earth which He had called into being for the habitation of the race whom He was about to create. The joy that would be theirs gave Him